


The Nine Longest Days

by MissFlowers



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Coma, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), SHIELD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-26 00:05:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissFlowers/pseuds/MissFlowers
Summary: After Fitz and Simmons got rescued by Nick Fury, Jemma has to watch his best friend lying in a deep coma. All because Fitz loved her and wanted to save her. Now, Jemma has to face the nine longest days of her life. But she also has to face her feelings - when logics and science fails, all you need to have are good friends by your side.





	1. Chapter 1

Day 1  
The day Leo saved Jemma’s life

Jemma woke up in a decompression chamber. She knew it the moment she opened her eyes, because she used it herself on Skye once. It took a moment before she realized what happened. Ward trying to kill Fitz and her. The box on the ocean ground. Fitz revealing his feelings for her. Fitz. Oxygen. Fitz.

That’s when Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., met her eyes. He was supposed to be dead, but lately, a lot of things happened, that she could not grasp yet.  
„You’re in decompression. On a jet, back to mainland”, Fury told her.  
“They told us you were dead”, Jemma answered, ignoring what he just said.  
“Good! We want word to get around on that!”, Fury said.  
Jemma’s thoughts were flying around in her head like paper planes, crushing down every few seconds. One of these paper planes contained a lot of reflection on Fitz.  
“Fitz!”, it was the only thing she could bare to say now.  
Fury tried to calm her down. “Easy, easy, his heart’s still beating. Just barely. I have a full med team with him. But you have to remain in this chamber, okay? His brain was without oxygen for a long time. But you saved him.”  
“It was the other way ‘round”, she said, lost in thoughts.

While Fury’s team got Fitz and her back to mainland, her mind went off to what just happened on the ocean ground. Fitz practically told her that he loved her.  
She did not even have the time to think about it, because right then, Fitz let the box explode. All she could do was to take Fitz with her. To not let him drown down there. At any cost. She dared not thinking about the consequences, about Fitz being without oxygen for some minutes. It was a wonder that he survived. And suddenly, it was all that mattered. Everything in her head calmed down. Fitz was alive. Alive.

Day 2

Due to all the machines Fitz needed for recovery, he stayed with Fury’s medical team. The doctors took care of him. Coulson and the others were already informed that Fitz and Simmons got out of Ward’s betrayal alive. Normally, medical supplies were also on the Bus, but Simmons was the only one who had the knowledge to use everything properly. As she had to be observed by the doctors, as well, it was imperative that both stayed on ground for some time. 

Jemma did not know why the doctors made such a fuss about her. On the second day, she felt as good as new. Thanks to Leo’s bravery, her brain was provided with enough oxygen to reach the surface of the ocean. The only thing that hurt was her heart. And not in the physical way.

She managed to convince the doctors that she was strong enough to get out of bed. She got permission to see Fitz, and it was the only thing she wanted right now.  
A nurse brought her to his room. Her stomach revolted when she thought about what she would see there. But she desperately needed to be by his side.

When she entered the room, Agent Coulson stood beside Fitz’ bed. He could not really believe that Jemma already left hers – he wanted to visit her next.  
“Simmons, you really should be resting right now!”, Coulson said straight away, when he realized that it was the last thing she wanted to hear. She may seem soft and sensible, but she was also remarkably strong.  
“Coulson, I…!”, she could not speak any further. Her eyes filled with tears and when Phil Coulson comforted her, all her feelings broke out at once.  
“Coulson… Ward, he tried to kill us… Fitz...he…”, she simply could not speak in whole sentences. Too much was going on inside her.  
“It’s okay, Jemma. It’s okay. We are all beyond glad you made it out of that box. Fury told me that you saved Fitz. It really is a miracle that both of you are here.” Coulson always had this soft tone when he wanted to comfort people. She instantly felt better with him by her side. She knew that he shared her feelings.  
When Coulson let her go, Jemma looked absent-mindedly at Fitz, lying in the bed, connected to all the machines that he needed to stay alive. Although he was in a coma, he looked like he was sleeping peacefully.  
“He saved me, Coulson”, she said calmly, smiling uneasily. It was the second time she had to tell someone that it really was Fitz who saved her.

Day 3

Jemma felt physically well. And yet, the doctors wouldn’t let her go back to her team. She had to stay at least one more day.  
It was okay. Time didn’t have a meaning to her, when she thought about Leo lying in coma for over 48 hours now. Since Coulson’s visit, she spent a lot of time in Fitz’ room. The medical team was okay with that. 

First, Jemma sat by his side, speaking to him in her mind. Then, she thought, why not really speak to him…? Maybe he heard her in his sleep. Maybe he listened to her.  
“Fitz, how are you?”, she began, feeling quite unsure about talking to someone who could not respond. “I am so thankful that you saved me. Even though I am also shocked that you decided on your own that I should be the one who gets the oxygen.”  
The more she spoke the better she felt.  
“We would have found a solution…”, but actually, she was not so sure about that. “But it doesn’t matter now. The least I could do was trying to save you, too. And here you are… I should be used to the machines, to the cables, the oxygen and sodium chloride that they give to you…”, she was breathing heavily now, barely holding back the tears, “but seeing you like this… I am so scared, Fitz. I am so scared you won’t come back…” 

Jemma could not speak anymore. The tears drowned the words that were lying on her tongue. For the first time, Jemma was confronted with this side. She was used to bringing people back to life. She was used to see blood, to see someone supplied with oxygen, to even see dead people. But in no way was she prepared for someone close to her, for Fitz, in a coma.

Day 4

In the afternoon, Jemma was allowed by the doctors to go back to her team. But she asked Coulson if she could come back in the evening. She simply could not leave Fitz so soon.  
Jemma packed her bags so when May would come to pick her up, she would be ready. 

In the meantime, she went in his room to keep him company. Some minutes ago, Jemma spoke to Dr. Fairley about Fitz’ condition. All she wanted to know was how long he would be in this coma. Deep inside she already knew the answer…

“We cannot say for sure how long this will take. He could wake up tomorrow or in a year. I am afraid I have to tell you to be patient”, Dr. Fairley said, “however, he sometimes does respond to external stimuli. It is not impossible that he will wake up.”  
She nodded understandingly.

So, she trained herself to be patient. Sitting in a chair next to Leo’s bed, she began to talk to him. It was nothing special. It was just to keep herself busy and to give Leo’s mind some words. To show him that she was there. Carefully, she took his hand in hers. Again, her mind went to that moment in the box, when Fitz showed her what he felt for her.

There was not much time to think about this special moment, because that was when May entered the room. She gazed at Jemma holding Leo’s hand and she smiled back at her with glassy eyes.  
“It is quite remarkable what happened to you two”, May said with an unknown softness in her voice.  
“May. I’m glad to see you.” Jemma really was. When hugging May, which she never did before, she felt that this team was her family. And May was a part of that family.  
“Come on, Simmons. The others are waiting for you”, May said, smiling.  
Jemma wiped away a tear, gave May her most beautiful smile, and went with her. 

Day 5

It was the first day that Jemma didn’t visit Fitz in the hospital. Nevertheless, she got frequent updates on his condition. Still no sign of waking up.

At least, Jemma could keep herself busy on the Bus. That day was full of conversations with her S.H.I.E.L.D. family. Sometimes she wanted to be alone, but she also felt that it was better to speak to someone and to distract herself. 

It was still unbelievable for the team, that Ward betrayed everyone. In the end, he was a well-trained actor whose loyalties were clear from the very start. No one knew of Ward’s experiences with John Garrett when he wasn’t even a student of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.  
Jemma and Grant Ward weren’t really friends, but he was an essential part of the team. He was a show-off, he liked to prove his strength, his muscles. But never had Jemma thought that he would go so far as to kill Fitz and her. It was an inexcusable thing and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to kill Ward in her head. It was harsh, yes. But it was the only thing she could think of doing to him. He should suffer the way Fitz and she did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go with the second part of the story! :)

Day 6

Jemma wondered how the future at S.H.I.E.L.D. would look like. Technically, there was no S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. At least for the public. S.H.I.E.L.D. fell when it became clear that HYDRA sneaked their way into the organization. It must have been horrible, not only for their team, but also for everyone else on S.H.I.E.L.D., to see long-time friends turning against them and revealing to be HYDRA. Like Ward.  
The last days were hard, but Jemma’s head became a little bit clearer now. After lunch, she went to Coulson.

“Director, if you don’t mind, I would like to visit Fitz in the hospital again.” She smiled when she approached him with her request.  
“No problem, Simmons. I think we can do without you for some time. After Fury declared himself dead and left me the task of being the director and to reassemble S.H.I.E.L.D., a lot more time to think about the next steps is necessary. If I need you, I will give you a call.”

Jemma thanked him and was already on the move, when Coulson wanted to add something to their conversation: “And Jemma, …”  
“Yeah?”  
“I think that… maybe you should consider the fact that Fitz… might not come back to us. Even if he wakes up.” He looked sympathetic and soft at once. He knew it was a hard thing to say, but he had to do it. Even if he didn’t want to think about it.

But Jemma’s reaction was quite rational: “I am perfectly aware of it, director. Nevertheless, I think it is best to be by Fitz’ side as often as I can. I know he would have done the same for me.”  
With a painful smile she turned away from him to go and see her best friend.

Day 7

The next day, she went to visit Fitz in the hospital, too. Jemma talked about what happened on the Bus, she filled him in as if she was actually talking to him, as if he stood beside her.  
“And Skye… you know, she is still looking for her family. Even if I think that Coulson is as good as a father for her, deep inside, she misses her family. And I understand her now even better. When there is a huge hole in your heart… no matter where it comes from, whether from missing your best friend, because he lies in a coma, or whether it is because you don’t know your family… it just hurts and leaves you empty. It is truly unbelievable how she can handle all this. She is so strong, Fitz.”

She took his hand again and gave it a slight squeeze.

Her mind wandered back to what happened at the bottom of the ocean. For the last days, she shut out all the feelings that overwhelmed her. But now, it all came back. Leo being in love with her. How could she have missed this? How could she be with him in the lab all the time, not noticing his actions?

Now it all became clearer to her. Leo touching her. Not conspicuously, but subtle. A hand on her shoulder or taking her in his arms. Or the day she jumped out of the Bus and Ward saved her: For days after that, Fitz wouldn’t stop talking about how it was him who wanted to jump after her. And finally, Fitz being jealous of Trip. Jemma might have had a little crush on Trip… his symmetrical body outlines and Trip being a nice and kind person to everyone. 

She smiled when she thought about all that. She wouldn’t have started something with Trip. It was just so nice having him around. Like Fitz; even though their relationship was of course stronger and built on something she didn’t share with anyone else: Being on the same level in their minds, having someone who understood her complex brain and her thoughts. It wasn’t only in the lab where they harmonized perfectly, but also on a private level. Jemma couldn’t imagine somebody else being in his place.

A thought occurred to her: When everything was so perfect, why didn’t she feel more for him than friendship? Or does she already feel more? She wasn’t so sure about this anymore. When it comes to feelings, it always became irritating for her. She couldn’t control or analyze it in its entirety. Chemicals were easy to decipher. But feelings? It was not easy to put them in a certain box.   
Having a lot of thoughts about relationships in her mind, she went back to her team. There was no way to avoid it – she would have to analyze what happens in her head even further. 

Day 8 

On this day, Skye wanted to go with Jemma to see Leo. Jemma felt a little conflicted, because on the one hand, she wouldn’t be alone with Fitz to talk about her feelings, even if he wouldn’t respond. On the other hand, she was happy that a friend came with her to see him. And in the end… who knows, how many days Jemma would still see Fitz alone? After all, it was not clear when he would wake up.

“He looks so damn pale”, Skye said when she saw him.  
“Even paler than normal”, Jemma said jokingly even if the situation was not funny.  
“It is all so confusing, you know? There is this huge Nazi organization, planning to undermine S.H.I.E.L.D. with so much cruelty and ruthlessness. And then your friends turn out to be an important wheel in HYDRA.”

Jemma looked at Skye, concerned. “It must be hard for you. I mean Ward. You had feelings for him.”

“Yes… but it is not so hard to let him go now. It is more the fact that you feel bad about yourself. To think about why you were so dumb to believe the things this asshole said.” Skye was angry. Very angry.

“But we all fell for him. Love is blind… something might be right about this saying…” Lost in thoughts, Jemma looked at Fitz. In her case, it was not love which was blind, but herself. 

“Speaking of love… is there something going on… between you two?”, Skye asked straightaway. Jemma became very confused about that question, but when she looked at it closely… Skye was always very sensitive when it came to the ability to judge a character and feelings that other people had. Seeing Skye as a good and close friend after the last months together in the team, she decided to trust her and to tell her everything that she had in mind.

“There is nothing going on. At least not in real life. Fitz said that he loved me when we were on the ocean ground.” She threw a meaningful gaze at Skye to leave her room to answer.

“Well, Simmons, this is not exactly shocking news. I think it was clear to all of us that Fitz has feelings for you…”

“I… I know. At least I know now. I just don’t understand why I didn’t get it before. We were always inseparable. He was… he is my best friends. Even though we kind of despised each other first on the academy, I always thought that he was this smart, kind and handsome man. It’s just that I never saw more in him than a friend. But now… I really think about everything that happened. And all of this might have… woken me up somehow. Skye… if he had told me earlier, I would have… we would have…”, slowly, Jemma lost control over herself and at the end of what she wanted to say, she almost screamed, crying: “Why hasn’t he told me earlier?” 

Instead of answering, Skye embraced her to give her comfort. Then, she said calmly: “Maybe he just didn’t want to risk your friendship.”  
Jemma looked at her, mildly shocked. She never considered this option before and yet, it explained a lot.   
“Simmons, look at me. Fitz will wake up. He is strong. Be there for him when he comes back. And talk to him about your feelings”, she said with a clear emphasis, “because someday, it might be too late to tell him.”

This is why Jemma loved Skye. She was honest but also sensitive when it came to feelings. She was thankful to know her.

Day 9 

It was the first day Jemma felt a lot better despite Fitz being in coma. She made up her mind about her feelings, she thought about Skye and about her own little analysis. It was not like she was suddenly in love with Leo. But she had to admit that she always saw something more in him than just a friend. A soulmate describes it best, she thought. She let that feeling sink in and for the first time, she thought about Leo and her being together. She permitted herself to let this thought, to let these feelings grow. Jemma wanted to become more open towards love. Maybe, in a not so far away future, they could be together…

She was smiling when she walked down the corridor towards Leo’s room. She wanted to see him again, she wanted to tell him what happened lately. Like usual, she took a chair, sat beside his bed and took his hand. 

“Hey, Fitz, how are you?” She checked the machines, the moving lines that were a sign for his life. “I’m here alone today. So, I can talk to you… you know, in private. The lab is so empty without you… but, anyways, there is not much to do at the moment. Coulson searches for agents all over the world and he is planning to reassemble S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s not easy since everyone thinks that we are HYDRA, too. But this is your least problem now, I know…”, she smiled at him confidently, “Fitz, after I talked to Skye yesterday and after rethinking everything we’ve been through, I feel a lot better now. But there is one thing you must know… what you said in that box, that a life for you without me is impossible... it’s also true for me. You are a special person, Fitz. You are one of the nicest persons I know of. When all this is over I really hope that we can start from the beginning. Well maybe not the beginning, but, you know…” She was so nervous speaking that she didn’t even realize that his heartlines and his pulse changed. “I’m just hoping that I have the courage to tell you everything again when you wake up…”, she said, whispering.

She looked at their hands, intertwined before the background of the hospital blanket. When she sat quietly like that, she finally realized the change in his body. She felt his pulse going faster and shortly after that, he even moved his hand. Slightly shocked, Jemma raised her head to look Leo in the face. It didn’t last long until he opened his eyes, just to look at Jemma in horror.

She couldn’t hold herself back: standing up, gasping for air, squeezing his hand too hard, everything happened at the same time. “Fitz! I cannot believe it. You are awake!” Effusively she held his head in her hands, bowed down to him and kissed him on the cheeks. 

But all Leo did was to look at her in horror. He moved his lips, but nothing came out. That was when Jemma realized that Fitz wasn’t the same person as before.   
A little bit quieter and with tears in her eyes, she said that she would get a doctor to look after him but that she would come back to him.   
Jemma had to stay outside the room when the doctors examined him. Nervously, she paced up and down the corridor. All she managed to do was to give Skye a call and to tell her what happened. She was the only one Jemma wanted to hear right now. 

“But, Simmons, that’s fantastic news”, Skye shouted, ”guys, did you hear that? Fitz woke up!” Jemma heard the others in the background.

“Yes, it’s great”, Jemma said with a toneless voice.

“Simmons, why do you sound so sad?”, Skye asked suspiciously.

“Skye, you should have seen him. I was with him when he woke up. He just looked at me like I was some sort of devil”, Jemma said bitterly.

“Jemma”, it didn’t happen often that Skye used her first name, “correct me if I’m wrong, you are the one with fancy doctor titles. But as far as I know, Fitz has had cerebral hypoxia due to his lack of oxygen. And for sure, this has effects on something. Maybe it’s his legs, his arms or… maybe he doesn’t remember something. In any case, I understand that he was afraid when he woke up. Don’t take it personally, Simmons. Fitz woke up and everything else will come slowly.”

Jemma calmed down. “You’re right, Skye. I just feel so irrational right now. I should be happy that Fitz is alive and awake. Thank you, Skye”, Jemma smiled and hung up. Somehow, this young girl often found the right words. She was happy to know her and now, she finally felt happy about Leo being awake. 

Jemma suspected that his speech center was affected after the accident. Maybe he couldn’t find the words when he saw her. Poor Fitz, Jemma thought, that must have been horrible for him, because usually he spoke a lot. Her suspicion was confirmed by the doctors and she finally felt her rationality coming back to her. 

When she could see Fitz again, she was happy to spend some more minutes with him. Calmly, she sat down next to him, holding his hand – only now, he felt it and he saw her. He looked sad, but peaceful.

“I know you have problems finding words, Fitz. But don’t worry”, her voice sounded cheery, “you learn so fast. You will come back to 100% in no time. I want to help you in the future. I will help you as much as I can, with everything you need.”

She smiled at him and as a sign of understanding, Fitz squeezed her hand. 

Quietly, Jemma said to him: “I am just so unbelievably grateful that you are back. Those were the nine longest days of my life. And now, you are finally back.”   
Yes, Jemma thought. This was the best first step she could make. Being honest about her feelings was sometimes difficult, but, just like Leo, Jemma learned fast.

**Author's Note:**

> Since the length of this One-Shot got a little bit out of hand, I decided to make 2 parts out of it, even if the "chapters" really belong together. The second part will follow soon :) Again, as I said in the notes under my first One-Shot: I'm not a native speaker, so please feel free to correct me when there are mistakes. :)


End file.
